The blighted city-owned incinerator in Algiers that has sat vacant since 1975 is finally going to be demolished, Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer announced Friday (May 2).

The demolition is estimated to cost approximately $300,000 and will be financed with Community Development Block Grant funding split between the city and the Louisiana Land Trust. The demolition, which is expected to begin later this summer, is the first step in an overall strategy to redevelop the site and put it back into commerce, the city said.

"The demolition and redevelopment of this site is long overdue and it is another example of what we can achieve through partnerships," said Landrieu of the property at 2300 Hendee St.. "Thanks to a lot of hard work and a smart strategy, we are fixing blight faster here than anywhere else in the country. We will continue to work to eliminate blight, including abandoned city-owned property, and return property back to commerce."

In planning for the future of the site, Landrieu has tasked the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and the New Orleans Business Alliance to lead the redevelopment.

"This is an exciting day for Algiers and another example of the value of partnerships between Mayor Mitch Landrieu, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority, Louisiana Land Trust, New Orleans Business Alliance and my office," Palmer said. "It is through collaborative partnerships that we are transforming the City of New Orleans. The incinerator has been an eyesore for years, and now it will be a clean site ripe for development."

In January 2014, an independent survey found that New Orleans has reduced blight in New Orleans by 30 percent between September 2010 and April 2013. The 2014 budget invests nearly $500,000 dollars for new inspectors and title research staff to help speed up the process.